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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I am new to the area and you have no park district, how do I find out about sports for my children? A:
There is currently no park district that services most of the Algonquin
community. However, Algonquin and
the surrounding community are fortunate to have several strong non-profits that
offer sports to the local community. They include but are not limited to:
Q:
When is registration? A: Registration is generally in November - watch the web site home page for exact dates and details. Online registration is also available starting in November. Do NOT wait for Spring to think about registering - leagues can fill up as early as January.
Q:
Can we register online? A:
Online
registration has been available since 2007. An extra processing fee is involved. Travel players
MUST register in person.
Q: If I register after November, will my child be able to play? A: For leagues with space available, there is also a January registration. After the January registration date, registrations may still be taken, but there is a late fee and your child will only be registered if there is space available in the designated league. You must submit your child’s name to the Registration Director so that it may be added to the waiting list. You will be notified if a space becomes available.
A:
Beginning with the 2006 season, the dates were changed to conform
with
Little League and ASA standards.
Q:
Do you accept debit or credit cards? A:
A credit card is accepted (and
required) ONLY if you
register online. There is an additional processing fee for online
registration. There are some special situations that require in person
registration. For in person registration, A.A.Y.O. only accepts checks
or cash for registration fees. We do not accept debit or credit cards. Q:
How much is registration? A: 2008 League Fees were $105.00 for t-ball, $115 for instructional, $135 for most baseball leagues, $145 for most softball leagues. Travel AAYO fee was $280 for registration plus additional costs shared via the Team Manager. This fee provides A.A.Y.O. with the funds necessary to provide a quality program to your child. There is an additional surcharge for registering online and also for late registrations. These costs change year by year and any prices posted here are subject to change without notice - for exact costs, check at registration. Q:
Are there any discounts given? A. Yes. Discounts are available for families with multiple children in A.A.Y.O. In 2008, the first player paid full price and additional siblings each received a $25 discount. Q:
What do I need to purchase for my child? A: Uniform shirts, socks and hats will be provided as part of your league fees. Some ages may need to purchase baseball pants or softball shorts - please see uniforms for more information. Your child will need cleats and a fielder’s glove to participate. Q:
What kind of cleats do I purchase? A:
Rubber baseball or softball
cleats are required for all leagues. At no time will players be allowed to play
in metal cleats or spikes. Q:
Is it necessary to purchase personal safety equipment for my child? A:
An athletic support cup is
required for all leagues. Female protectors can be a bit difficult to find so if
this is something that you would like information on please let one of the Board
Members know of your interest and they will point you in the right direction. Q:
What happens after my child is registered? A:
If your child is not is one of
our non-competitive leagues (t-ball or instructional) he or she will be assigned to
a team in late March. If your child is in a competitive league (any league with
an umpire) he or she will go through the draft which is held in March. Once your
child is drafted he or she will receive a phone call from the Manager of the
team he or she was drafted to. T-Ball and Instructional players receive a phone
call usually by the fourth week of March. Q:
Who can attend the draft? A:
The draft is a closed to the
public. One manager and two coaches for each team will be allowed to participate
in the draft. In the event that a coach cannot attend the draft someone can go
in their place with the League Coordinators prior approval. Q:
Is the draft really necessary? A:
With a league this large, the draft and its current structure is the only
way that A.A.Y.O. has to place twelve hundred kids into teams. Players are
evaluated from previous year’s development and scores are shared with the
managers. If a player has never played in the league those scores are left as
zeros and comments may be written in to notify managers of any experience. Q:
When do practices begin? A:
Practices begin in March with
very inclement weather. We do our best to provide every team with at least five
practices prior to the beginning of the game season. However, do to field
restraints we cannot reschedule practices that are cancelled due to inclement
weather.
The
schedule is done for all the teams in the league and we cannot guarantee that it
will be the same day of the week every week. We can share with you that two
practices a week is our goal. Our practices will be held at 5:45p.m. Monday
through Friday and Saturday from 9:00a.m. 5:00p.m. Practices last approximately
1 ½ hrs. Remember that you do not have to have a baseball field to hold a
practice. There are many open areas that would be suitable for drills that would
help players prepare for the season. Q:
When do games begin? A:
Games begin usually in late
April and early May. Teams are usually scheduled to play at least two games a week with an occasional third game once or
twice during the season. Game days vary and will not be consistent. It is
impossible for A.A.Y.O. to do its scheduling this way. What this means is that
one week you might play on Monday and Thursday and the next you will play
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Most teams will have Saturday games every week. Games
begin Monday through Friday at Q:
When will we get a schedule? A:
Schedules are given to the
Managers for distribution to each player just prior to or on the first practice.
Q:
When does the season end? A:
In other words: when can we go
on vacation? The season win/loss record for every team is tallied and once seeds
are determined, a league playoff schedule will be set. We make every effort to have the playoffs complete by
July 4 holiday. T-Ball and Instructional League games are complete the end of
June. Q:
What happens when it is raining or has been raining and we have a
scheduled practice or game? A:
All parents and players should
communicate with their respective managers and/or coaches. The managers should
be aware of field conditions prior to calling off any scheduled practices or
games. A.A.Y.O. Board Members and field staff will make every attempt to get the
field “playable”. Field Staff may call League Coordinators if the field
conditions are bad enough to warrant the calling of a game. League Coordinators
will then notify managers who in turn can notify their players. Q:
If I have a problem who do I contact? A:
If you have a problem your first contact should be your team manager as
he/she is the liaison between the league and the team. If the manager is not
able to help you within an appropriate timeframe please contact the League
Coordinator. If the League Coordinator is not able to help you, please contact
the Director of Baseball or the Director of Softball. These individuals are in
direct contact with the Executive Committee and will see to it that your problem
is addressed. It
is important to remember that while you may feel your problem needs immediate
attention, members of the A.A.Y.O. Board of Directors are volunteers. They are
moms and dads that have taken on the additional task of providing this wonderful
program to your child. They wear many hats and it is not always easy to switch
hats. Please be patient. Our first priority is your child.
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Algonquin Area Youth Organization (A.A.Y.O.) Baseball/Softball P.O. Box 265 Algonquin, Illinois 60102 (847) 899-3961
Last updated: 05/07/2008
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